Locking clip



R. c. TAYLOR LOCKING CLIP March 10, 1959 Filed July 8. 1953 RUSSELL C. TAYLOR ,ZZAA HIZ'WL W ATTORNEYS- 2,876,897 LOCKING CLIP Russell C. Taylor, Greenwich, Conn., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New'Jersey Application July 8, 1953, Serial No. 366,802 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-"-65) cans to create a multiplecontainer unit in which substantially all of the label-bearing wall portions of the individual cansremain exposed for inspection.

Still another object is the provision of a metal fastener Yet another object is to provide a metal clip so constructed that only a relatively few clips are required to the unit is subjected.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred'embodiment thereof.

2,876,897: Patented Mar. 1Q, 1959 2 perspective view of a finished clip embodypresent invention formed from the blank illus- Fig. 4 is a ing the is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating a modim of fastening clip which is adapted to snap onto the projecting end seams of the cans; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of a multiple container unit similar to that shown in Fig. 2 but showing the snap-on clip illustrated in Fig. 5 in position on the containers.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, Fig. l 'of the drawings illustrates a multiple container unit 10 composed of a plurality, here shown as six, of individual cans 11 each having a tubular, label-bearing and lower end seams 14 of adjacent cans being in mutual tangential contact at 15. The juxtapositioned assembly unit 10 which can conveniently be lifted and handled as a unit by the purchaser.

The clips 19 peripheral extensions of the body portion 21, while the 23 are cut from the material of the body portion 21, being defined by substantially U-shaped slits 24.

As illustrative of one method of forming a unitary container assembly, the flat clip blanks 20 are placed on the ends of the suitably'arranged cans 11 with the sets of lugs 22, 23 positioned adjacent the end seams 14 substantially midway between the points 15 where the cans contact each other. The lugs 22, 23 are then bent in any suitable manner so that the outer lugs 22 engage flatly against the inside surfaces of the projecting end the invention, Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a preformed clip preferably made from resilient sheet metal which is adapted to easily snap into position on the end seams 14 of the cans. In this construction, the lugs 22, 23 are shaped prior to the application of the clip to the cans. In order to permit the inner lugs 23 to slide over the end seams 14 without interference, the free end of each of these lugs 23 is provided with a reversely bent portion 25 to enable its free edge 26 to clear the seam. In this construction a simple downward pressure is sufficient to snap the clip into locking position, the inherent resiliency of the lugs 23 causing them to snap over and then clamp securely onto the seams 14.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that only four clips, two upper and two lower, are necessary to. securely'hold the six cans together as a unit. To buildup a four can unit, only two clips are required. It will be obvious that clips embodying the principles of the present invention are adapted to secure together almost any multiple number of cans arranged in a wide variety of patterns, although best results are obtainable when the unit is so designed that each can contacts at least two others in order to add strength and stability to the package.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a package comprising at least three cans arranged vertically in juxtaposition with projecting end seams at both ends of each can abuttmg corresponding end seams of the other juxtaposed cans thus leaving an interstice between adjoining sections of each group of abutting end seams, the combination with saidcansof locking clips disposed one at the top and another at the bottom end of said abutting cans and cooperating therewith to rigidly lock said cans and clips against movement relative to each other, each of said clips being formed from a single relatively thin sheet and comprising a rigid substantially flat body lying substantially in the plane of the ends of a said group of adjoining sections of abutting end seams and overlying the interstice formed therebetween, and pairs of outer and inner opposed seam-gripping lugs spaced equidistantly therearound with each of said lugs extending in the same direction from and at substantially right angles to said body, saidvouter lugs'extending from the periphery of said body into engagement with portions of the interior surfaces of the seams intermediate the points at which the exterior surfaces of the seams abut and said inner lugs being struck from a central portion of said body and disposed in locking engagement with the outer surfaces of the seams, whereby each pair of said outer and inner lugs securely grip between them a portion of a said end seam intermediate points of abutment of the seams and only said clips lock the abutting cans together in a rigid unitary package.

2. A package of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein each pair of said locking lugs merge with said flat body of the clip along substantially straight and parallel lines spaced apart by adistance substantially equal to the thickness of the seam therebetween, the interior surfaces of said pair of lugs and the portion of said body between said parallel lines being shaped to conform closely to the exterior surface of the seam, whereby each of said inner lugs tightly engages around and beneath the exterior surface of a said seam and thus cooperates with a said outer lug so that said clips are tightly secured to said seams and only said clips lock said abutting cans together in a unitary package.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 266,577 Babcock Oct. 24, 1882 603,455 Pinney May 3, 1898 1,477,818 Gerlat Dec. 18, 1923 1,516,232 Kratzer Nov. 18, 1924 1,567,387 Rode Dec. 29, 1925 1,800,109 Selig Apr. 7, 1931 1,868,772 Singer July 26, 1932 2,090,477 Graham Aug. 17, 1937 2,100,483 lesser Nov. 30,1937 2,212,476 Kielberg Aug. 20, 1940 2,285,801 Burnet June 9, 1942 2,384,112 Meyer Sept. 4, 1945 2,440,902 -Lutey May 4, 1948 2,566,804 La Flamme Sept. 4, 1951 2,637,475 Gialanella May 5, 1953 2,646,911 Holmberg July 28, 1953 2,702,641 Arthurv Feb. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 182,378 Great Britain July 6, 1922 

